Let’s call it like it is:  I’m a nerd.  In fact, I’m an uber nerd.  Other nerds say “I want to be nerdy like him.”  The easiest way you can tell I’m a nerd?  I love being in San Jose the last week in February.  It is my favorite week of the year!  The weather’s not too great (though I don’t get outside much to see it), and I certainly don’t get around to see the sites (except the new Uproar brewery down the street).  I’m here for only one thing – the SPIE Advanced Lithography Symposium.  And I love everything about it.  The people, the papers, teaching an exhausting course all day Sunday, committee meetings, standards meetings, free beer, the panel discussion (at least this year), last-minute presentation preparation, lots of coffee in the morning, giving talks, listening to talks, asking hard questions, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, hallway conversations, getting that one great idea that changes everything, seeing the next generation of lithographers take over from us old ones, seeing the old ones still hanging on, late nights, early mornings, more beer, and learning learning learning.  I absolutely love it all.  Let the week begin!